


Zero

by jacinth



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, But only a little, Cheeky Harry, First Kiss, Harry thinks it's cute, Louis is a stubborn little hedgehog, M/M, Soul Bond, Soulmates, Stubborn Louis, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-10
Updated: 2016-03-10
Packaged: 2018-05-25 21:53:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6211561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jacinth/pseuds/jacinth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis hadn't unclenched his teeth since the first time he set eyes on Harry. </p><p>Or...</p><p>Louis thinks he hates Harry. Harry knows better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Zero

**Author's Note:**

> I'm still alive!!!
> 
> Seriously though, I know I've been gone a while. I've been INSANELY busy these last months, if you think the 1D/Larry shippers are busy with soap opera bullshit try living in my house! Hah! We've a new baby in the family, and everyone is fighting or something or other, I'm just the ref. On top of that, I have various other things that have taken over my life in the last few months, but I DO apologize for going MIA!! And I'm hoping to start posting regularly again :)
> 
> This is just a short fic, but I hope you like it!!
> 
> P.S. Title is from 'Zero' by Chris Brown which I had on repeat while writing this. It's kind of addicting.

Louis slammed the front door closed and chucked his pack on the floor, kicking his shoes off angrily. Muttering and cursing, he stomped into the kitchen where his mums' were preparing dinner. Both were watching as he hissed and spat his way into the room.

“Lou...” Jay said warily. “Are you alright?” In his peripheral he saw his other mum, Helen, place a wooden spoon on the stove next to the pot and observe him with concern.

“I'm _fine_.” He growled quietly as he opened the fridge to grab a cola. He wasn't about to tell them he'd just been paired with the resident dickhead in History class. To think! He was stuck with Harry ' _I've got more hair than personality_ ' Styles. His life couldn't get any worse! Then again, they would have to work on their project outside of school. It COULD get worse. Louis would rather wipe the Queen's ass than have that- that- _giraffe_ in his house! The very thought filled his belly with searing hot anger.

Helen's voice cut through his rage filled thoughts, “Louis, sweetheart...you're spilling soda all over the floor.”

The wetness spilling over his hand finally registered and Louis frowned at the can as though it had betrayed him. “Damn.”

This was Harry's fault. Everything _wrong_ with the world was Harry Fucking Styles' fault.

**↭**

“Why the sour face Lou-Lou?”

Narrowing his eyes at the grating voice, Louis slammed his locker closed and glared up at Harry's big stupid face. He was smirking, as usual. Did he _have_ to wear those stupid white t-shirts and stupid tight black jeans? What was he trying to prove?

“Drop dead.” Louis growled, resisting the urge to tug at the hem of his own striped navy and white shirt and spinning on his heel. Harry didn't take the hint and followed. Why couldn't he get it through his thick head that Louis hated him?

“You know,” Harry's voice was amused. “I'm starting to think you don't like me.”

“Burn in Hell.” Was Louis' reply.

Harry snorted at that. “Such an angry little thing, we're definitely gonna have to work on that at yours tonight.”

Louis rolled his eyes in annoyance. “Whatever.”

Ugh! His mothers' were going to want to feed him. Louis perked up at the thought...maybe he could poison Harry's dinner. As he planned Harry's demise with glee, he didn't notice the other boy swoop in until it was too late.

“Oi!” He tried to snatch his books back but Harry twisted away.

“I'm walking you to class, Tomlinson.”

Louis huffed and stomped ahead a few steps. “You just cannot STAND the fact that someone doesn't like you, can you!?”

Harry smirked. “Is that what you've been telling yourself?”

“I wouldn't go out with _you_ if you were the last bloke on the planet!” Louis ripped his books out of Harry's grasp. “And if you were, I'd demand a recount!” With that, he walked towards biology, head held high while completely ignoring the feelings Harry's eyes on his... _back_ caused.

Why wouldn't the twat just leave him alone? He had been pestering Louis ever since he moved to Bristol at the beginning of the school year even though Louis had made it _extremely_  clear from day one that he wanted nothing to do with Harry. Louis  _hated_ Harry; Louis hadn't unclenched his teeth since the first time he set eyes on _Harry_. The fact that Harry had quickly become the most popular boy at their school within a few weeks just made Louis despise him even more. That, for some reason just made Harry _even more_ persistent. It was infuriating.

Harry was determined to make Louis like him and Louis? Louis _might_ consider it if Harry brought him a snowball fresh from Hell.

**↭**

After school, as Louis was setting out snacks for his _company_ and growing more and more irritated at the thought of that giraffe in his house, his eyes landed on his parents in the kitchen. The two women were laughing as Jay accidentally spilled Alfredo sauce down her wife's chin before they kissed. Louis sighed, wishing he would find his other half; he would give anything to have that happiness. A sly voice in his head was about to make itself heard at the thought, but he quickly squished it. He knew the likelihood of finding his soulmate before he was thirty was slim...but it didn't stop him from wanting it. If his mums had met when they were only fourteen, then there was hope for him, right? The fact that Louis' father was also sort of his uncle thanks to him being Helen's brother just made the story even more entertaining.

The sound of the doorbell brought him out of his thoughts.

Louis really shouldn't have been surprised when he opened the door to find Harry's smug face on the other side given he'd known he was coming, but hey! Everyone had their days. Louis blinked at him and slammed the door in his face, going back to the living room and plopping onto the sofa.

“Louis!” Jay's angry voice echoed from the hallway but he only rolled his eyes. A few seconds later he heard Harry's annoying voice too as they spoke and Helen joined a moment later. Louis had never really talked about Harry to his parents – why would he? So him being rude to a random boy they didn't know was probably somewhat shocking...or maybe not. They knew him better than anyone after all.

“Louis,” Jay said, “you have a guest.”

“Hiya Lou-Lou.” Harry smirked from behind Jay and Helen. Louis narrowed his eyes.

Louis stood up, placing his hands on his hips. “To make things perfectly clear,” he pointed at Harry. “ _I hate him_ _._ ” He turned and walked into the kitchen then, ignoring both of his mothers' as they called him back to apologize.

Seconds later, that deep voice called out from behind him. “Are we really going to let a little thing like hatred come between us?”

“Sod off!” Louis called back.

“You shouldn't flirt with me in front of your parents!”

Grabbing the nearest thing to him, which just happened to be an apple, Louis spun around and hummed it his _guest's_ head. “Twat!”

Harry easily caught the apple and took a bite out of it. “Love you too!” Swallowing, Harry smiled at Jay and Helen. “He's having a tough time accepting that we're meant for each other.”

The two women, who had been watching the interaction with varying degrees of amusement and amazement, laughed. They both recognized a burgeoning soul bond when they saw one, despite their son's unusually violent behaviour. Though that had been one of the giveaways.

This was certainly going to be interesting.

**↭**

“Why are you so stubborn?” Harry asked quietly from behind and Louis shivered at the warm breath that caressed his cheek and ear. “You've known from the beginning, I know you have. Ever since we met in the loo.”

Turning his face away, Louis cross his arms and closed his eyes, tapping his pencil against his desk. “I've been trying not to think about it.”

It was the truth. Louis had no illusions. He knew Harry's family was one of the richest in Bristol; Louis' family wasn't the richest, but they were happy. He knew Harry was almost painfully beautiful; Louis knew he was as plain and ordinary as they came. Harry was popular; Louis had a handful of close friends. Soulmates or not, Louis knew he wasn't good enough. It was easier to hate Harry...to run from him, than to allow himself to be swept up. Out of the corner of his eye, Louis could see and feel Harry's eyes on him and it angered him. Harry wouldn't look twice at him without the bond and he knew it.

“You're wrong.” Harry whispered, making him jump. Had he said that out loud? Or worse... could Harry read his thoughts? “Sometimes I can feel...what you're thinking because I've accepted the bond.” He added. “And you're wrong. I didn't know what you were to me until the first time we spoke, but I couldn't keep my eyes off of you up til then.”

Louis shook his head. “It was still the bond.” He finally raised his eyes to look at the other boy. “Look at you, look at me. Th-”

“I haven't looked away since the moment I saw you.”

“...we both know you wouldn't want me if it weren't for the bond.” Louis finished quietly.

A hand lifted his chin then, forcing him to meet piercing green eyes. “If you accepted the bond you'd know that isn't true.”

Pulling away, Louis stood, backing up a few steps and turning his back to Harry. If he looked at the other boy again...he would give in. It was better this way. Harry seemed to sense his determination and bristled behind him angrily.

Harry growled. “I don't believe any of these bullshit excuses you've come up with and neither do you. You're just afraid, and you're going to turn your back on love, on us, on our future because of it. I'll move on. I'll find someone who's not my mate, someone who's not _you_ , and settle for mediocre love. And you? You'll have to spend the rest of your life living with what you gave up." Harry swallowed audibly. "I won't bother you again.”

Hot tears spilled down Louis' cheeks, surprising him as much as his heart squeezing so tight in his chest he feared it might stop beating altogether. Spinning around so quickly he nearly fell on his face, Louis cried out, “Harry wait!”

But Harry kept on as though he hadn't heard him. Louis nearly sobbed. Moving as quickly as he could without tripping, Louis weaved around his bed until he stumbled behind Harry, reaching out to grip the taller boy's wrist. “Harry, please!”

“Get off.” Harry's voice was emotionless as he ripped his hand from Louis' grip and opened the door. “Goodbye Louis.”

When the door closed with a final sounding click, Louis crawled onto his bed and sobbed, his body shaking with force of it.

What had he done?

**↭**

The following Monday Louis made his way through the halls with his head down, not really aware of anything besides getting from point A to point B. He'd barely slept that weekend, his mind replaying what had happened Friday night over and over. It had been so easy for Harry to leave him; not that he could blame Harry for leaving, Louis knew he'd been a horrible little troll to him since they'd met. Maybe he deserved to be alone.

“Oi.”

Louis didn't look up as Liam leaned next to his locker. Bastard had found his soulmate at ten and they'd been inseparable ever since. Zayn was good for him though, if not a little flaky. “Hey Li.”

“You okay mate?”

Louis glared and Liam held up his hands, not saying another word. “Let's just go to lunch.” He sighed, closing his locker.

Liam prattled about Zayn as they walked but Louis barely heard a word of it, his mind was still on Harry, just as it had been all weekend. Louis knew he deserved Harry's anger, deserved to be alone. He had spent the last half a year treating Harry like shit and pushing his own feelings so far down that he'd actually convinced himself he hated Harry, convinced himself Harry wasn't his mate. The Tommo stubbornness knew no bounds, it seemed.

As they rounded the corner, Louis felt his heart drop when his eyes landed on Harry. Harry, who had his arm around Kendall. Harry who was laughing with his best friend Niall. Of course he was fine, Louis thought, of course he was. In a split second, Louis suddenly knew why he'd done his damnedest to keep Harry away. Soulmate or not, Harry would be able to move on. If Louis let himself fall... he'd never be able to pull himself up again. He would never move on, never love another. To give Harry that power was like handing him a grenade. He'd pull the pin eventually and Louis would be the one ripped apart.

Swallowing thickly, Louis kept his gaze on the floor as they passed Harry, and ignored the fact that Liam called a, “Hey mate!” at the other boy.

When a hand wrapped around his wrist, Louis blinked in surprise, his brain unable to process the fact that he was being dragged down the hall for a good ten seconds. “What-”

Harry shoved him into an empty classroom and slammed the door. Louis caught himself on a desk, but before he could turn Harry was pressed against his back, arms wrapped around him tightly. “How can you _think_ that?”

Louis didn't have to ask what Harry meant, he knew. “Because it's the truth!” he snapped. “You told me as much the other night-” Louis yelped as Harry sunk his teeth into the side of his neck. “What the fu-”

“Don't assume, Louis.” Harry growled. “You don't know shit about how I feel, which is your own bloody fault by the way. You never gave me a chance.”

Before Louis could form a reply, Harry continued, turning Louis to face him. “Drop all of the excuses you've hidden behind, they're all bullshit, Louis, and you know it. Now look at me.”

Looking up through his lashes, Louis met Harry's eyes and felt his own prick with tears. It was terrifying, seeing Harry through these eyes instead of his bulletproof glass, and Louis couldn't hold it in any longer. Tears spilled down his cheeks and he threw himself at Harry, wrapping his arms around him tightly. “I'm sorry,” Louis whispered against Harry's shoulder. “I'm so sorry.”

Harry didn't speak, and for a moment Louis feared he was about to be told to fuck off, then he felt Harry's large hand grip his jaw, long fingers strong as they turned Louis' face. Biting his lip, Louis stared at Harry's lips the way he'd rarely allowed himself to, his breath quickening. “Harry...”

The kiss was perfect. Harry's mouth was silky and lush, yet demanding against his, and Louis felt his knees turning to jelly and his body go hot as he allowed himself to open to the bond. Louis opened his mouth to Harry, barely able to remain standing as the taller boys plump lips sucked at his, tongue sliding inside. He mewled breathlessly, slack with the pleasure of it. Louis hadn't known a kiss could be so...hot. Then again, he'd never been kissed before. Another product of his stubbornness, though he doubted it would have felt like this if he had.

Harry's lips trailed across his cheek then, and pressed against his ear. “You're mine now, Tomlinson.”

Biting his lip, Louis nodded. “I should probably warn you, I'm a poor prize. I'm messy. Socks on the floor, pants on the doorknob, toast crumbs in the bed, messy. I'm _told_ I don't listen, I get emotional at odd times. I can't cook, I don't do laundry, and I hate green foods. Oh, and I'll probably want to deep fry your dick at least once a week.”

Harry burst out laughing and Louis pouted. “Really, you should just run away. I'm hideous.” Harry snorted at him then, kissing the tip of his nose.

“S'a good thing I'm a clean freak, and that I love to cook and do laundry.” Harry smirked, “And, I'm very sure that I can _make_ you listen _and_ eat your veg.”

Louis pulled his lips tight. “I think you're underestimating the Tommo will, Hazza.”

Harry's lips were back at Louis' ear. “ _I_ think _you're_ underestimating my powers of persuasion.”

Smiling softly, Louis raises his eyebrows. “Our entire relationship is going to be a battle of wills, isn't it?”

“It'll keep us on our toes.”

Louis sighed then. “You're sure you want me? I know we're soulmates... but-” Harry cut him off with another kiss.

“I loved you the _second_ I laid eyes on you, Lou.” Harry murmured. “Before I knew who you were, before you ever opened that rude little mouth, and I was prepared to give up my soulmate when I met them if it meant I got to have you.”

“You have me.” Louis smiled mischievously. “But you should probably cook for me, you know, so I can decide if I wanna stick around.”

Harry raised a brow, “You sure the reason you can't cook isn't because you have to stand on a chair to reach the stove?”

Shoving Harry with an eye roll, Louis huffed dramatically and headed for the door but Harry was right there, pulling him back with a loud laugh. “I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that, you probably only need a stool-”

“Harreh!” Louis whined playfully, letting himself be tugged into another kiss. “I'm five-foot nine I'll have you know!”

Harry stared at him, obviously fighting the losing battle with his own face. “Standing on what?”

Pulling his lips into a tight line, Louis raised his chin and walked away from a still cackling Harry. He was halfway down the hall when he heard Harry's boots behind him, God he hated those boots. Okay that was a lie, but still.

“Have lunch with me?” Harry smiled that huge dimpled smile that Louis knew then and there he'd never be able to say no to.

“As long as you give me a ride home after school.”

Harry gave him a quick peck and threw an arm around his shoulders. Louis wasn't  shocked by the stares, though no one really looked surprised... not even a little actually.

Not everyone was as oblivious as he apparently. Louis made a mental note to work on that, but who was he kidding? He was pretty sure God or whoever was in charge had a one miracle per life policy; Louis looked at Harry, and he'd already gotten his.

 

**Author's Note:**

> iamjacinth.tumblr.com
> 
> Let me know what you thought! xx


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